Courts

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African American appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But Marshall had already earned a place in history as the leader of an extraordinary legal campaign against racial segregation in America, culminating in the landmark Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education. This American RadioWorks documentary tells the story of the first Black Supreme Court Justice before he donned his judicial robes.
Since the National Child Protection Training Center opened last year at Winona State University, it has drawn people from around the country. Detectives, social workers, and students visit to improve their skills at identifying and preventing child abuse. The Center's the creation of Minnesota native Victor Vieth. His goal is nothing less than eradicating child abuse in the United States.
St. Cloud has taken steps to give its human rights office more teeth in dealing with local complaints. Now it's helping neighboring towns taken on their human rights issues.
President Bush is moving swiftly toward naming a successor to Attorney General John Ashcroft, and White House counsel Alberto Gonzales has emerged as the leading candidate for the job. Two administration officials said Gonzales, a longtime Bush friend who served with him in Texas, was the likely successor to Ashcroft and that the president could act as early as Wednesday.
Most people who get arrested for low-level offenses in Minneapolis don't get convicted. That's neither unique to Minneapolis, nor a surprise to people in the criminal justice system. But some say the degree of difference between the numbers is troublesome. The Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice has released a report that says the gap between arrests and convictions can fuel citizen distrust in the police department. The report recommends that the Minneapolis police department reexamine how its officers handle low-level offenders.
When Minnesota voters hit the polls Tuesday, they'll find a ballot that includes two sets of candidates running for the State Court of Appeals. Judicial campaigns are usually low profile. Campaigning for a judgeship is tricky. Regulations govern what judicial candidates can say about political matters and how they might rule on certain controversial issues.
A federal judge has ruled in favor of 1,200 Minnesota Mdewakanton Dakota who say they have the right to three key parcels of land in the state. The contested land is currently occupied by three other tribal communities in Minnesota. The judge's ruling is centered on an 1886 agreement the plaintiffs contend the U.S. government made with their ancestors following the Dakota Conflict.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals this week heard arguments about the role party politics can play in judicial campaigns in Minnesota. The court is considering state guidelines which forbid judicial candidates from seeking endorsements from political parties, attending political rallies and directly soliciting campaign funds. Two men campaigning for a seat on the Supreme Court have different opinions about whether candidates should talk about their personal beliefs. Bemidji-based Tim Tinglestad is challenging Justice Alan Page for his seat on the court.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday over the role party politics can play in judicial campaigns in Minnesota. Golden Valley attorney Greg Wersal and the Republican Party of Minnesota say current rules that restrict Minnesota judicial candidates from taking part in some party activities are unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will take up the constitutionality of Ten Commandments displays on government land and buildings, a surprise announcement that puts justices in the middle of a politically sensitive issue. Lower courts have reached a hodgepodge of conflicting rulings that allow displays in some instances but not in others.